Many functions of modern devices in automotive, consumer and industrial applications, such as converting electrical energy and driving an electric motor or an electric machine, rely on semiconductor devices. For example Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs), Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) and diodes have been used for various applications including, but not limited to switches in power supplies and power converters.
Such power supplies or, respectively, power converters shall usually exhibit a high degree of efficiency. To this end, semiconductor devices have been proposed that exhibit a so-called compensation structure, wherein, e.g., the compensation structure can be established by means of so-called vertical field plate installed within a trench. Such compensation structure may lead to a reduction of the on-state resistance of the semiconductor device. For further reducing the amount gate charge and/or the amount of Miller charge, it has been proposed to employ a planar gate structure aligned substantially perpendicular to the vertical field plate.